Mystic Caverns

Crystal Dome Cavern - Dogpatch Cavern


Useful Information

Location: 13 km south of Harrison on National Scenic Byway 7. 8 km north of the Buffalo National River.
Open: JAN closed.
FEB after appointment.
MAR to MAY Mon-Sat 9-17 (last tour), Sun closed.
JUN to AUG Mon-Sat 9-18 (last tour), Sun closed.
SEP to OCT Mon-Sat 9-17 (last tour), Sun closed.
NOV to DEC Mon-Sat 9-16 (last tour), Sun closed.
[2006]
Fee: Adults $11.95, Children (5-12) $5.95, Children (0-4) free. (+tax)
Groups (12+). [2006]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave Boone limestone.
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension: Mystic Cavern: L=91 m, H=9 m.
Crystal Dome Cavern: L=222 m.
T=14 °C.
Guided tours: Every 35 min, D=70 min.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address: Mystic Caverns, Box 1301, Harrison, AR 72602, Tel. +1-870-743-1739, Toll Free: 1-888-743-1739, E-mail: contact
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1850's first discovered by the first settlers.
1919 oldest evidence of visitors, Adam Kolbe carved his name and the date on a formation. Cave named Mansion Cave at this time.
1920's developed by the land owners, Jim and Bob Gurley. They installed a wooden ladder into the sinkhole entrance and leveled the cave floors. Cave was renamed Wild Horse Cave.
1938 the cave was closed due to the dangerous entrance steps
1949 purchased by Albert Raney, Sr., who built concrete steps and trails and reopened the cave.
1966 bought by the Dogpatch theme park and an entrance tunnel, rock walkways and a modern, indirect lighting system were installed.
1968 Crystal Dome was accidentally discovered.
1968 reopended as Dogpatch Cavern.
1981 sold to Bruce Raney, reopened as Mystic Caverns.
AUG-1981 Crystal Dome development completed and opened to the public.
1984 bought by Omni Properties, Inc..
1988 bought by Steven Rush.
1997 bought by Mystic Caverns, Inc.

Description

The original cave entrance of Mystic Cavern was a vertical shaft of nearly 4 m at the bottom of a sinkhole. Here the roof of the cave collapsed and allowed to enter the cave. It was also the - rather dangerous - entrance for the visitors, until an artificial entrance was built in 1966.

This cavern contains large speleothems, but unfortunately the cavern was damaged in the early 1930's, when they operated a distillery in it. In the 1940's when the cave was unprotected for a short period, people stole some of the stalactites.

The second cave, Crystal Dome Cavern, lies lower than Mystic Cavern. It has been protected since the time of its discovery in 1968. This cave has two levels, the upper level is visited on the cave tour, the lower level contains a large stream which has been explored over 90 m upstream and 9m downstream.

The water passage contains both cave salamanders and crayfish. A dye test was done two years ago by the National Park Service which revealed, that the water flowing through the stream exits a rock opening in the bluff a mile away.